Earth Day– Mindful Living… April 23, 2009

At a MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) meeting this week, we had a woman talk to us about “green living” and “simple living”. She translated this as “MINDFUL LIVING”. So, I am mindfully living by sharing with you some of the things I was thinking about this Earth Day….

1) On Christmas Eve, I learned a few facts that I have since quoted so many times that they are beginning to haunt me:

The leading cause of death in the WORLD is lack of access to clean water. It would cost

10 billion dollars

to completely resolve this problem.

This year (a year that most everyone is money conscious)– this year alone, in the middle of a recession– Americans spent over

400 billion dollars

on Christmas. ouch.

After seeing hundreds of sick people in Uganda, I wonder how much of that sickness is due to lack of access to clean water. I would love to start a campaign for Americans to spend 1/40th less on Christmas next year…to give the WORLD the water it needs to simply survive.

2) A few weeks ago, a friend told me she prayed for it to stop raining while her husband walked her kids into Target. I found myself in the fit of pregnancy insomnia praying that I could just fall asleep– please?!

I wonder if when we pray for ourselves– we could add a globally-focused prayer to it, as well. For example– adding to that Target rain prayer– and Lord, please let those affected by the flooding in Fargo find safety. Or at 3am when I can’t sleep, praying for those who have no safe place to sleep…

Mindful living, to me, is to be aware of the very real situations of others– and the situation of this good Earth that God gave us to enjoy…and to pray, exist, and live aware. At the very least. Happy Earth Day!